What do you think?
Rate this book
Journey to Eloheh: How Indigenous Values Lead Us to Harmony and Well-Being
Rooted in ten Indigenous values, this thoughtful, holistic book—written by Randy Woodley, a Cherokee descendant recognized by the Keetoowah Band, and Edith Woodley, an Eastern Shoshone tribal member—helps readers learn lifeways that lead to true wholeness, well-being, justice, and harmony. The pursuit of happiness, as defined by settlers and enshrined in the American Dream, has brought us to the emotionally, spiritually, socially, and as a species. We stand on a precipice, the future unknown. But Indigenous people carry forward the values that humans need to survive and thrive. In Journey to Eloheh, Randy and Edith Woodley help readers transform their worldviews and lifestyles by learning the ten values of the Harmony Way. These ten values, held in common across at least forty-five Indigenous tribes and nations, can lead us toward true harmony, respect, accountability, history, humor, authenticity, equality, friendship, generosity, and balance. By learning, converting to, and cultivating everyday practices of Eloheh--a Cherokee word meaning harmony and peace--we have a chance at building well-being and a sustainable culture. In this riveting account of their own journeys toward deepening their indigeneity and embodying harmony, Edith, an activist-farmer, and Randy, a scholar, author, teacher, and wisdom-keeper, help readers learn the lifeways of the Harmony Way. The journey to Eloheh holds promise for all of us, Indigenous or not. We know the Western worldview is at odds with a sustainable Earth, a just common life, and personal well-being. Together we can convert to another way of living--one that recognizes the Earth as sacred, sees all creation as related, and offers ancestral values as the way forward to a shared future.
- GenresIndigenousNonfiction
264 pages, Hardcover
Published October 8, 2024
23 people are currently reading
211 people want to read
About the author
Randy Woodley
24 books76 followersRev. Randy Woodley (PhD, Asbury Theological Seminary) is Distinguished Professor of Faith and Culture and Director of Intercultural and Indigenous Studies at Portland Seminary. Woodley is a Keetoowah Cherokee (legal descendent) teacher, poet, activist, former pastor, missiologist and historian. Woodley received his baccalaureate degree from Rockmont College in Denver. He was ordained to the ministry through the American Baptist Churches in the USA in Oklahoma after graduating with a Masters of Divinity degree from Eastern Seminary (now Palmer Seminary) in Philadelphia. Randy's PhD is in intercultural studies from Asbury Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky.
Professor Woodley is active in the ongoing discussions concerning new church movements, racial and ethnic diversity, peace, social justice, interreligious dialogue and mission. He regularly blogs in these areas and publishes his own blog, Ethnic Space and Faith. He is also a regular contributor to God's Politics Blog: Jim Wallis and Friends, Emergent Village Voice and The Huffington Post’s religion page.
He also hosts the "Peacing it all together" podcast about journey and place with Bo Sanders.
Rev. Woodley was pastor of the Eagle Valley Church in Carson City, Nevada, which for many years served as a unique role model as an authentic Native American Christian church. He and his wife Edith, cofounders of Eagle's Wings Ministry, are considered early innovators in what has been dubbed the “Native American Contextual Movement.” The Woodleys have spent over 25 years of culturally contextual service in Native North American communities.
Professor Woodley is active in the ongoing discussions concerning new church movements, racial and ethnic diversity, peace, social justice, interreligious dialogue and mission. He regularly blogs in these areas and publishes his own blog, Ethnic Space and Faith. He is also a regular contributor to God's Politics Blog: Jim Wallis and Friends, Emergent Village Voice and The Huffington Post’s religion page.
He also hosts the "Peacing it all together" podcast about journey and place with Bo Sanders.
Rev. Woodley was pastor of the Eagle Valley Church in Carson City, Nevada, which for many years served as a unique role model as an authentic Native American Christian church. He and his wife Edith, cofounders of Eagle's Wings Ministry, are considered early innovators in what has been dubbed the “Native American Contextual Movement.” The Woodleys have spent over 25 years of culturally contextual service in Native North American communities.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
October 1, 2024
An inspiring memoir of Native American people doing good work
First, I want to affirm the several decades of productive work by Randy and Edith Woodley in lifting up their own perspectives on Native American culture—and for their efforts to encourage other Native people to tell their own stories. Everything I have heard across my own journalistic networks, which focuses in religious and cultural diversity, is that their work is noble and so are their intentions.
It's also very, very important to hear more Native voices after centuries of genocide and suppression of those authentic voices. I'm giving this book 4 stars because the Woodleys are authentically telling their story. We need more memoirs from marginalized writers.
So why am I giving this only 4 stars? Because I want to distinguish this flawed book from other masterpieces of Native writing I've been reading over the past couple of years. In Goodreads, for example, I just reviewed Braiding Sweetgrass, which is universally lauded for its masterful storytelling that invites readers into the everyday life of the people, the flora and fauna and the natural forces around its Native author. Sweetgrass is breathtaking.
What we have in Journey to Eloheh reads like the highlights of talks and workshops the Woodleys have been presenting over the years. The problem, from my perspective, is that they have not spent much time learning about the larger context surrounding them. In this book, they have chosen to highlight 10 values they claim are Native American—when these values clearly run across global cultures in many complex ways. They're not values owned by our Native neighbors. Acknowledging that these values also appear in other traditions around the world would make a big difference in this presentation that sounds to me like a wistful Native speaker romanticizing American Native traditions as unique in the world.
Then, the authors set up "Western culture" as a straw man that's way too easy for them to knock down. They boil Western culture down, for example, to a quest for individualism (and related values). In fact, as a journalist, I've been reporting for more than two decades on global efforts—much of this led by scholars and other leaders in the U.S. and the West—to develop a whole new way of envisioning "The Social Determinants of Health" (SDH). Our own federal government now has an SDH-based approach to public health. And the No. 1 threat to our SDH? Individualism that leads to isolation and exclusion. Late in the book, there's a page where, apparently close to the time they finished their manuscript, they dropped in a reference to the major 2023 research report on alienation and loneliness in the U.S. but they don't present the larger context and importance of that report. They're not doing their homework as authors.
In other words, over the past couple of decades, many wise leaders around our world have begun to recognize the importance of the values they list in their book. Had they realized how many allies they have surrounding them—they could have presented a much more powerful message about the growing global consensus on these values.
Unfortunately, this book feels like material that's been trotted around for quite a while. In one passage, for example, they cite "John Wayne" as an embodiment of American men around the world—and they explain why that's a problem. Of course, I agree. But, the real problem is that John Wayne has not been showing up in actual research data on global attitudes toward Americans for years! Had they checked contemporary global research, they would have popped up—for global models of "American" men—actors like Morgan Freeman and Tom Hanks. That's interesting data, too. Instead, as readers in 2024, we have to deal with John Wayne in these pages—and not because of actual research data—but because the author "once asked a class" and John Wayne's name came up. That's sloppy writing and editing.
I wanted to enjoy this book from the outset and I do want to fully affirm the life stories of these two authors. They're good people doing good work. Their honest stories matter to our national and our global community. The parts of this book in which they share their own life stories are important.
When I read a book like this, though, I just wish authors like these had more opportunities to travel the world and learn more about the allies and the growing body of data that they could take strength in welcoming.
First, I want to affirm the several decades of productive work by Randy and Edith Woodley in lifting up their own perspectives on Native American culture—and for their efforts to encourage other Native people to tell their own stories. Everything I have heard across my own journalistic networks, which focuses in religious and cultural diversity, is that their work is noble and so are their intentions.
It's also very, very important to hear more Native voices after centuries of genocide and suppression of those authentic voices. I'm giving this book 4 stars because the Woodleys are authentically telling their story. We need more memoirs from marginalized writers.
So why am I giving this only 4 stars? Because I want to distinguish this flawed book from other masterpieces of Native writing I've been reading over the past couple of years. In Goodreads, for example, I just reviewed Braiding Sweetgrass, which is universally lauded for its masterful storytelling that invites readers into the everyday life of the people, the flora and fauna and the natural forces around its Native author. Sweetgrass is breathtaking.
What we have in Journey to Eloheh reads like the highlights of talks and workshops the Woodleys have been presenting over the years. The problem, from my perspective, is that they have not spent much time learning about the larger context surrounding them. In this book, they have chosen to highlight 10 values they claim are Native American—when these values clearly run across global cultures in many complex ways. They're not values owned by our Native neighbors. Acknowledging that these values also appear in other traditions around the world would make a big difference in this presentation that sounds to me like a wistful Native speaker romanticizing American Native traditions as unique in the world.
Then, the authors set up "Western culture" as a straw man that's way too easy for them to knock down. They boil Western culture down, for example, to a quest for individualism (and related values). In fact, as a journalist, I've been reporting for more than two decades on global efforts—much of this led by scholars and other leaders in the U.S. and the West—to develop a whole new way of envisioning "The Social Determinants of Health" (SDH). Our own federal government now has an SDH-based approach to public health. And the No. 1 threat to our SDH? Individualism that leads to isolation and exclusion. Late in the book, there's a page where, apparently close to the time they finished their manuscript, they dropped in a reference to the major 2023 research report on alienation and loneliness in the U.S. but they don't present the larger context and importance of that report. They're not doing their homework as authors.
In other words, over the past couple of decades, many wise leaders around our world have begun to recognize the importance of the values they list in their book. Had they realized how many allies they have surrounding them—they could have presented a much more powerful message about the growing global consensus on these values.
Unfortunately, this book feels like material that's been trotted around for quite a while. In one passage, for example, they cite "John Wayne" as an embodiment of American men around the world—and they explain why that's a problem. Of course, I agree. But, the real problem is that John Wayne has not been showing up in actual research data on global attitudes toward Americans for years! Had they checked contemporary global research, they would have popped up—for global models of "American" men—actors like Morgan Freeman and Tom Hanks. That's interesting data, too. Instead, as readers in 2024, we have to deal with John Wayne in these pages—and not because of actual research data—but because the author "once asked a class" and John Wayne's name came up. That's sloppy writing and editing.
I wanted to enjoy this book from the outset and I do want to fully affirm the life stories of these two authors. They're good people doing good work. Their honest stories matter to our national and our global community. The parts of this book in which they share their own life stories are important.
When I read a book like this, though, I just wish authors like these had more opportunities to travel the world and learn more about the allies and the growing body of data that they could take strength in welcoming.
December 30, 2024
What would it take to experience true harmony and well-being? What values might we want to embrace and develop? There are numerous answers to these questions and faith often plays a role. To some degree, harmony requires a sense of balance between rest and activity. It's one of the values present in the Old Testament concept of the sabbath. As we ponder this question is it possible that indigenous values could provide an answer, especially in contrast to Western values of individualism and achievement?
Journey to Eloheh by Randy and Edith Woodley offers a response from a Native American perspective. The Woodleys have Native American ancestry and identify as Native Americans. From that perspective they created and "co-sustain Eloheh Indigenous Center for Earth Justice and Eloheh Farm and Seeds in Yamhill, Oregon, a town outside Portland. Randy Woodley is the author of several books including Indigenous Theology and the Western Worldview: A Decolonized Approach to Christian Doctrine and retired recently from his position as Distinguished Professor of Faith and Culture and Director of Intercultural and Indigenous Studies at Portland Seminary. While that position suggests an evangelical affiliation, it is an evangelicalism that is enriched by indigenous values.
The key term that is developed in the course of this book, which has strong auto-biographic elements on the part of both authors, is Eloheh. Eloheh is a Cherokee word that means "well-being." The message here is not only one of well-being but a life lived according to the Harmony Way. As such, the Woodleys write that Eloheh speaks to a way of life lived according to the way life was created to be lived. Thus, it "means that people are at peace, not at war; that the Earth is being cared for and producing in abundance, so no one goes hungry. Eloheh means people are treating each other fairly and that no one is a stranger very long." (pp. 5-6). In the course of the book, the Woodleys reflect on ten values that they believe are found in indigenous societies, values they seek to develop in their own lives. These ten are harmony, respect, accountability, history, humor, authenticity, quality, community, balance, and generosity.
The Woodleys divide their book into four parts. each of which has four chapters. The opening section is titled "Moving Toward the Precipice." Here the authors set up the problem that exists in the world, a problem they believe the Harmony Way can overcome. In this section both authors tell their own story, sharing how they came to understand their own identities as Native Americans (Randy claims to be 3/16th Cherokee, and has been enrolled in a Cherokee tribe. Edith has a rich Native American heritage, drawing from several tribes including the Choctaw. In these chapters, the authors outline how things went wrong with Western culture, including the failure to live appropriately with creation.
While Part I introduces us to the problem of the false binary offered by Western Culture, in Part II, the authors begin to develop their vision of how Native American values can aid Western folk find harmony and well-being. Part II is titled "Finding a New Map," and the Woodleys begin by sharing their discovery of Sweat Lodges, which involved questioning the received religious views of Western Christianity and the discovery of a deeper spirituality. From there, in Chapter 6, titled "Bear Dreams," the authors discuss their return to indigenous roots, which included recognizing the value of dreams. While serving as a pastor in Nevada, Randy began to move deeper into indigeneity, providing a form of church life that honored Native traditions and practices. This leads in Chapter 7 to a discussion of the first indigenous value, that of Harmony or seeking peace. Harmony involves finding and maintaining balance in all areas of life, including physical, emotional, and spiritual components. Chapter 8 introduces the second value, that of Respect or honoring the sacred. Again, while the Woodleys are Christians, they have embraced a form that involves indigenous ideas and values including what they refer to here as the Great Mystery, which they understand to be a broader vision of God. For them, we are to respect everyone and everything because everything is sacred.
Part III is titled "The Inside Path." Here the Woodleys introduce us to four more indigenous values, beginning with accountability. Accountability rests on the remembrance that we are all related. That includes not only people but all creation. Thus, this is a call to show respect and reverence to nature, such that humans are called to maintain and repair harmony within creation. Chapter 10 speaks of the value of history. Central to the conversation here is the reality of time, which indigenous peoples view differently from Western folks. The idea is that there is fluidity between past and present to the degree that for Indigenous folks, time slows down. They write that "only when we view the importance of the past as critical to the way we live the present can we project what might be our future" (p. 182). The next value explicated here is "Humor" or the ability to laugh at ourselves (Chapter 11). The Woodleys detail here the role of humor in Native American life, noting that there is even a ceremony among the Navajo celebrating an infant's first laugh. From Humor, we move to "Authenticity." While we hear a lot about authenticity today, they show us how Native Americans embrace true authenticity. In part, this involves a mistrust of words and an embrace of oral transmission of traditions. Authenticity involves, as they note, developing a sense of trust, which is not easy.
Part IV, titled "The Outside Path," explores the final four values. The first value is that of Equality, such that everyone's voice is heard. In this chapter (Chapter 13), they show how this value is expressed through working cooperatively, seeking consensus, respecting the dignity of others, as well as respecting dissent. This value is expressed in the context of Community, another of the values shared here (Chapter 14). The Woodleys note that in Native American contexts, individualism is downplayed, such that the importance of friendships is central. In this sense of community women and children are valued and affirmed. That doesn't mean the individual has no place, but the entirety of the community is honored first. The next value is that of Balance (Chapter 15). Here the focus is on finding a balance between working hard and resting well. Part of this effort involves rejecting materialism. The final value is "Generosity" (Chapter 16). There is a strong commitment within Indigenous communities to sharing with others what one has so that no one goes without. It doesn't matter whether one has a lot or not, the value is that of sharing with others, including strangers.
There is in this book a strong sense of spirituality that has connections to the Woodley's Christian affirmations, but they focus not on Christian views of things, but on indigenous values they believe are present in all indigenous cultures. Thus, they encourage European/Euro-American Westerners to get in touch with our own Indigenous traditions and values. This Harmony Way (Eloheh) is not, they remind us, an easy path. Their own story, as told in the book, shows us the challenges inherent in developing this way of living. They are seeking to develop these values on their farm, working with Native Americans, who may have lost contact with these values. They remind us that the colonialism that is often part of Western Christianity is one of the challenges that Indigenous people face, but which we all ultimately face. This isn't a path that is a straight line. Rather it is something of a circle, as such it is a sacred path. There is much to ponder here, values worth exploring and developing whatever our background, for we all have indigenous roots even if not Native American.
Journey to Eloheh by Randy and Edith Woodley offers a response from a Native American perspective. The Woodleys have Native American ancestry and identify as Native Americans. From that perspective they created and "co-sustain Eloheh Indigenous Center for Earth Justice and Eloheh Farm and Seeds in Yamhill, Oregon, a town outside Portland. Randy Woodley is the author of several books including Indigenous Theology and the Western Worldview: A Decolonized Approach to Christian Doctrine and retired recently from his position as Distinguished Professor of Faith and Culture and Director of Intercultural and Indigenous Studies at Portland Seminary. While that position suggests an evangelical affiliation, it is an evangelicalism that is enriched by indigenous values.
The key term that is developed in the course of this book, which has strong auto-biographic elements on the part of both authors, is Eloheh. Eloheh is a Cherokee word that means "well-being." The message here is not only one of well-being but a life lived according to the Harmony Way. As such, the Woodleys write that Eloheh speaks to a way of life lived according to the way life was created to be lived. Thus, it "means that people are at peace, not at war; that the Earth is being cared for and producing in abundance, so no one goes hungry. Eloheh means people are treating each other fairly and that no one is a stranger very long." (pp. 5-6). In the course of the book, the Woodleys reflect on ten values that they believe are found in indigenous societies, values they seek to develop in their own lives. These ten are harmony, respect, accountability, history, humor, authenticity, quality, community, balance, and generosity.
The Woodleys divide their book into four parts. each of which has four chapters. The opening section is titled "Moving Toward the Precipice." Here the authors set up the problem that exists in the world, a problem they believe the Harmony Way can overcome. In this section both authors tell their own story, sharing how they came to understand their own identities as Native Americans (Randy claims to be 3/16th Cherokee, and has been enrolled in a Cherokee tribe. Edith has a rich Native American heritage, drawing from several tribes including the Choctaw. In these chapters, the authors outline how things went wrong with Western culture, including the failure to live appropriately with creation.
While Part I introduces us to the problem of the false binary offered by Western Culture, in Part II, the authors begin to develop their vision of how Native American values can aid Western folk find harmony and well-being. Part II is titled "Finding a New Map," and the Woodleys begin by sharing their discovery of Sweat Lodges, which involved questioning the received religious views of Western Christianity and the discovery of a deeper spirituality. From there, in Chapter 6, titled "Bear Dreams," the authors discuss their return to indigenous roots, which included recognizing the value of dreams. While serving as a pastor in Nevada, Randy began to move deeper into indigeneity, providing a form of church life that honored Native traditions and practices. This leads in Chapter 7 to a discussion of the first indigenous value, that of Harmony or seeking peace. Harmony involves finding and maintaining balance in all areas of life, including physical, emotional, and spiritual components. Chapter 8 introduces the second value, that of Respect or honoring the sacred. Again, while the Woodleys are Christians, they have embraced a form that involves indigenous ideas and values including what they refer to here as the Great Mystery, which they understand to be a broader vision of God. For them, we are to respect everyone and everything because everything is sacred.
Part III is titled "The Inside Path." Here the Woodleys introduce us to four more indigenous values, beginning with accountability. Accountability rests on the remembrance that we are all related. That includes not only people but all creation. Thus, this is a call to show respect and reverence to nature, such that humans are called to maintain and repair harmony within creation. Chapter 10 speaks of the value of history. Central to the conversation here is the reality of time, which indigenous peoples view differently from Western folks. The idea is that there is fluidity between past and present to the degree that for Indigenous folks, time slows down. They write that "only when we view the importance of the past as critical to the way we live the present can we project what might be our future" (p. 182). The next value explicated here is "Humor" or the ability to laugh at ourselves (Chapter 11). The Woodleys detail here the role of humor in Native American life, noting that there is even a ceremony among the Navajo celebrating an infant's first laugh. From Humor, we move to "Authenticity." While we hear a lot about authenticity today, they show us how Native Americans embrace true authenticity. In part, this involves a mistrust of words and an embrace of oral transmission of traditions. Authenticity involves, as they note, developing a sense of trust, which is not easy.
Part IV, titled "The Outside Path," explores the final four values. The first value is that of Equality, such that everyone's voice is heard. In this chapter (Chapter 13), they show how this value is expressed through working cooperatively, seeking consensus, respecting the dignity of others, as well as respecting dissent. This value is expressed in the context of Community, another of the values shared here (Chapter 14). The Woodleys note that in Native American contexts, individualism is downplayed, such that the importance of friendships is central. In this sense of community women and children are valued and affirmed. That doesn't mean the individual has no place, but the entirety of the community is honored first. The next value is that of Balance (Chapter 15). Here the focus is on finding a balance between working hard and resting well. Part of this effort involves rejecting materialism. The final value is "Generosity" (Chapter 16). There is a strong commitment within Indigenous communities to sharing with others what one has so that no one goes without. It doesn't matter whether one has a lot or not, the value is that of sharing with others, including strangers.
There is in this book a strong sense of spirituality that has connections to the Woodley's Christian affirmations, but they focus not on Christian views of things, but on indigenous values they believe are present in all indigenous cultures. Thus, they encourage European/Euro-American Westerners to get in touch with our own Indigenous traditions and values. This Harmony Way (Eloheh) is not, they remind us, an easy path. Their own story, as told in the book, shows us the challenges inherent in developing this way of living. They are seeking to develop these values on their farm, working with Native Americans, who may have lost contact with these values. They remind us that the colonialism that is often part of Western Christianity is one of the challenges that Indigenous people face, but which we all ultimately face. This isn't a path that is a straight line. Rather it is something of a circle, as such it is a sacred path. There is much to ponder here, values worth exploring and developing whatever our background, for we all have indigenous roots even if not Native American.
March 1, 2025
The book does not seem to address any unique values or use mythology and religion to explain these values. It also is not very concise. This book could be good for other people but the lovey vibes I get from Robin kimmerer resonate with me much better. Not that the Euro bashing here is the problem most people perhaps do not know this stuff but I'm already on that page
December 2, 2024
DNF after 36%. This book is less a writing on indigenous worldviews as described and more of a collaborative memoir by the authors that touches on indigenous concepts.
November 29, 2024
4.5/5. I read this right after the utter heartache that was the 2024 Presidential Election, and man, this is exactly what the doctor ordered. If you're feeling depressed about living in a late-stage capitalist, white Christian nationalist hellscape like me, Journey to Eloheh shows you that there is another way to live life. One that's happier, more fulfilling, more connected, more sustainable, and more respectful of the land and nature. It's part self-help book, part memoir, an apt critique of Westernization, and a fascinating introduction to Native American values. So hopeful, refreshing, and inspiring.
October 1, 2024
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The biggest difficulty for me with this book was it felt like a mislabel of genre. I went in expecting a “Seven Grandfathers” type experience and found myself in the middle of what felt more like a dual memoir. I was anticipating a description of each value using a story or anecdote from the authors’ lives, and illustrating how to apply it within our own. But I was halfway through the book before I realized that each chapter was discussing one of the ten values.
The chapter heading was a value, followed mostly by the authors’ family or personal histories, in which I would have to search for the relation to the titled value.
For me it just fell short in the application piece for the reader. As a Native reader, I value and actively seek out Native voices to help broaden and shift paradigms, but I felt like it needed a little more editing to help the reader use the principles in the book.
The biggest difficulty for me with this book was it felt like a mislabel of genre. I went in expecting a “Seven Grandfathers” type experience and found myself in the middle of what felt more like a dual memoir. I was anticipating a description of each value using a story or anecdote from the authors’ lives, and illustrating how to apply it within our own. But I was halfway through the book before I realized that each chapter was discussing one of the ten values.
The chapter heading was a value, followed mostly by the authors’ family or personal histories, in which I would have to search for the relation to the titled value.
For me it just fell short in the application piece for the reader. As a Native reader, I value and actively seek out Native voices to help broaden and shift paradigms, but I felt like it needed a little more editing to help the reader use the principles in the book.
January 25, 2025
Before getting into specifics, I want to express that I am not Indigenous or a member of any Tribe. Any definitions or explanations touched on are that of Randy and Edith Woodley. If anyone is interested in reading books, articles, blog posts, etc. about Native Americans, read content that is written BY Native Americans.
---
When I requested this book through NetGalley I didn't expect to find myself reading it at a time in my life that was suddenly more chaotic than usual, and I was in desperate need of some guidance. I am so thankful for this synchronicity. With therapy and medication, I've gotten better at managing the free fall of a depressive episode. But, as I've gotten older and have had to work through additional difficult experiences, it has become more difficult to re-center and move forward. I feel grateful to Randy and Edith for their willingness to share their wisdom and the foundational guidance and wisdom I received reading this book cannot be measured.
Randy Woodley is Cherokee and Edith Woodley is Eastern Shoshone. They're a married duo (team) of advocates and educators who share their journey as a couple as well as their individual Journey to Eloheh. In this process, they share Indigenous history, their individual backgrounds and how they began their journey towards Eloheh. Because Eloheh isn't a Western concept, Randy and Edith try to explain it in ways that maintain respect for the sanctity of Indigenous beliefs and practices while also being shared in a way that's accessible by non-Native folks.
Personally, I am grateful to Randy and Edith Woodley for their willingness to share Journey to Eloheh because I was positively impacted by what they had to share. This novel is very thought provoking and educational. With this in mind, I am very grateful for my everyday willingness and desire to learn so that I could be open to the content they very lovingly created and staunchly advocate for. It is my hope through this review that as many people as possible read this book and really take the time to enrich their spirit with this wisdom.
---
Eloheh is a Cherokee word and is described by the authors as well-being. The meaning in the English language is difficult to capture and describe because there isn't an accurate translation that fully encompasses the essence of WHAT Eloheh is. The authors also refer to Eloheh as The Harmony Way. Randy and Edith explore some of the values that help guide someone towards Eloheh and do so in a way that draws from their own experiences to demonstrate the importance of following those values. They also demonstrate that it isn't an easy journey. Two paths are described- The Inside Path and The Outside Path. They won't be easy paths, but they are spiritually, emotionally and mentally rewarding and beneficial to yourself and your community.
--
Thank you to 1517 Media | Broadleaf Books for my Advanced Reader Copy
---
When I requested this book through NetGalley I didn't expect to find myself reading it at a time in my life that was suddenly more chaotic than usual, and I was in desperate need of some guidance. I am so thankful for this synchronicity. With therapy and medication, I've gotten better at managing the free fall of a depressive episode. But, as I've gotten older and have had to work through additional difficult experiences, it has become more difficult to re-center and move forward. I feel grateful to Randy and Edith for their willingness to share their wisdom and the foundational guidance and wisdom I received reading this book cannot be measured.
Randy Woodley is Cherokee and Edith Woodley is Eastern Shoshone. They're a married duo (team) of advocates and educators who share their journey as a couple as well as their individual Journey to Eloheh. In this process, they share Indigenous history, their individual backgrounds and how they began their journey towards Eloheh. Because Eloheh isn't a Western concept, Randy and Edith try to explain it in ways that maintain respect for the sanctity of Indigenous beliefs and practices while also being shared in a way that's accessible by non-Native folks.
Personally, I am grateful to Randy and Edith Woodley for their willingness to share Journey to Eloheh because I was positively impacted by what they had to share. This novel is very thought provoking and educational. With this in mind, I am very grateful for my everyday willingness and desire to learn so that I could be open to the content they very lovingly created and staunchly advocate for. It is my hope through this review that as many people as possible read this book and really take the time to enrich their spirit with this wisdom.
---
Eloheh is a Cherokee word and is described by the authors as well-being. The meaning in the English language is difficult to capture and describe because there isn't an accurate translation that fully encompasses the essence of WHAT Eloheh is. The authors also refer to Eloheh as The Harmony Way. Randy and Edith explore some of the values that help guide someone towards Eloheh and do so in a way that draws from their own experiences to demonstrate the importance of following those values. They also demonstrate that it isn't an easy journey. Two paths are described- The Inside Path and The Outside Path. They won't be easy paths, but they are spiritually, emotionally and mentally rewarding and beneficial to yourself and your community.
--
Thank you to 1517 Media | Broadleaf Books for my Advanced Reader Copy
October 9, 2024
Journey to Eloheh: How Indigenous Values Lead Us to Harmony and Well-Being is a unique blend of vulnerable storytelling and wisdom in which the authors, Randy and Edith Woodley, clearly embody the values they’ve set out to teach.
The word “Eloheh” is a Cherokee word that means “the harmony way.” Thus this book is an invitation to join the journey in seeking and co-sustaining harmony among the entire community of creation. The beauty of such a journey is that it is a circle in which we may enter at any point along the way.
Learning from Randy’s teaching and writing over the last 12+ years (I was his student at Portland Seminary) has both challenged and inspired what it means to follow Jesus while shedding the destructive trappings of my Western worldview.
Randy and Edith’s lived wisdom, born of much heartache and setback which they share about in the first few chapters, roots itself into a better way of living in this throttled world. I believe them. And this book has profoundly aided my journey to Eloheh. Because I love them and the way they inspire me to live in harmony with the community of creation, my review might seem biased. Maybe we can think of it another way—aren’t many of us in search of guides who live out the values they teach over the long haul? The Woodleys are the guides you’ve been looking for!
Randy and Edith teaching us at Eloheh Indigenous Center for Earth Justice
The circular, embracing pathway the Woodley’s set fort in Journey to Eloheh is one in which we live toward balance and harmony with the whole of the community of creation via these 10 Indigenous values:
Seek harmony.
Respect the sacred.
We are all related.
Look forward by looking back.
Laugh at yourself.
Speak from your heart.
Listen to everyone.
Increase your friendships and family.
Work hard and rest well.
Share what you have.
Let’s be honest, there is likely much to untangle if you are anything like me. Historically White men, like myself, have not done well to listen, let alone listen to the Indigenous elders in our midst. This book might just be the gateway to healing our ears, our hearts, and our lives.
This book will aid in the untangling, stir repentance, and chart a renewed vision toward wholistic harmony and well-being. We will not be the same after reading and receiving the goodness that resides in the lives of the Woodleys, and in the pages of their book, Journey to Eloheh: How Indigenous Values Lead Us to Harmony and Well-Being.
I hope I meet you somewhere on the journey to Eloheh.
The word “Eloheh” is a Cherokee word that means “the harmony way.” Thus this book is an invitation to join the journey in seeking and co-sustaining harmony among the entire community of creation. The beauty of such a journey is that it is a circle in which we may enter at any point along the way.
Learning from Randy’s teaching and writing over the last 12+ years (I was his student at Portland Seminary) has both challenged and inspired what it means to follow Jesus while shedding the destructive trappings of my Western worldview.
Randy and Edith’s lived wisdom, born of much heartache and setback which they share about in the first few chapters, roots itself into a better way of living in this throttled world. I believe them. And this book has profoundly aided my journey to Eloheh. Because I love them and the way they inspire me to live in harmony with the community of creation, my review might seem biased. Maybe we can think of it another way—aren’t many of us in search of guides who live out the values they teach over the long haul? The Woodleys are the guides you’ve been looking for!
Randy and Edith teaching us at Eloheh Indigenous Center for Earth Justice
The circular, embracing pathway the Woodley’s set fort in Journey to Eloheh is one in which we live toward balance and harmony with the whole of the community of creation via these 10 Indigenous values:
Seek harmony.
Respect the sacred.
We are all related.
Look forward by looking back.
Laugh at yourself.
Speak from your heart.
Listen to everyone.
Increase your friendships and family.
Work hard and rest well.
Share what you have.
Let’s be honest, there is likely much to untangle if you are anything like me. Historically White men, like myself, have not done well to listen, let alone listen to the Indigenous elders in our midst. This book might just be the gateway to healing our ears, our hearts, and our lives.
This book will aid in the untangling, stir repentance, and chart a renewed vision toward wholistic harmony and well-being. We will not be the same after reading and receiving the goodness that resides in the lives of the Woodleys, and in the pages of their book, Journey to Eloheh: How Indigenous Values Lead Us to Harmony and Well-Being.
I hope I meet you somewhere on the journey to Eloheh.
January 9, 2025
(I received a free copy of this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers group. This review is my honest opinion of the book.)
I am giving this book 3 out of 5 stars. It is cowritten by a married couple who have traveled the county and spent a lot of time with many indigenous people from different tribes. They have tried to distill common cultural values from these various groups. While the backgrounds of both authors is important to the subject, I did feel that too much of the book was dedicated to their stories before diving into the ten values. I’m not sure that more pages and examples would have been dedicated to the values had the backstory not been present, but the explanation of values sometimes felt thin and not well supported. Although I haven’t spent much time reading about indigenous values, some of the assertions felt rather familiar and skin-deep.
I think the most interesting takeaway for me was the common distinction among indigenous people between religion and spirituality.
I am giving this book 3 out of 5 stars. It is cowritten by a married couple who have traveled the county and spent a lot of time with many indigenous people from different tribes. They have tried to distill common cultural values from these various groups. While the backgrounds of both authors is important to the subject, I did feel that too much of the book was dedicated to their stories before diving into the ten values. I’m not sure that more pages and examples would have been dedicated to the values had the backstory not been present, but the explanation of values sometimes felt thin and not well supported. Although I haven’t spent much time reading about indigenous values, some of the assertions felt rather familiar and skin-deep.
I think the most interesting takeaway for me was the common distinction among indigenous people between religion and spirituality.
December 25, 2024
The authors tell their own journey of the Harmony Way as they provide encouragement to others to learn from their failures and successes. The book starts in the direction of sharing that there are ten Harmony Way values. However, instead of gradually leading through these ten values, the book travels through the individual and joined experiences of the authors. It is understood that the values are included in the narrative but in an indirect way. The teachings of family and other indigenous wise men and women are also shared, gratefully so. There just appears to be some ambiguity or unclear direction of the messages. In Robin Wall Kimmerer’s “The Serviceberry”, the serviceberry is the beginning of the narrative or the circle of gratitude and reciprocity and it continues to expand through the sharing of it’s berries to animals, people and back to nature as an entity, as a guiding teacher. So, a bit more focus on naming the ten values before talking of them would be appreciated.
October 7, 2025
Journey to Eloheh sounds like a truly powerful and healing work a book that not only invites reflection but offers a genuine path toward balance and harmony in an increasingly fractured world. Even from the synopsis, it’s clear that Randy and Edith Woodley are sharing deep wisdom rooted in lived experience and Indigenous tradition, not just theory. The focus on the ten values of the Harmony Way feels especially meaningful like a much-needed reminder that true well-being comes from connection, respect, and authenticity, not the endless striving of the modern world. This seems like the kind of book that could inspire lasting personal and societal transformation, guiding readers to live with more purpose and peace.
October 9, 2024
This book feels like sitting with Randy and Edith in a living room as they share their wisdom. It is an opportunity to hear their own life stories- joys, sorrows, wounds, healing, regrets and celebrations. It is a chance to learn as they share their Indigenous wisdom and the beautiful hope that there is a path forward that is different. They offer an invitation to listen and learn simple practices that aren’t just a new way of thinking but a new way of living that can bring harmony to us, our communities, and our planet. It is a book that will touch every aspect of your life and that you’ll want to come back to again and again.
October 17, 2024
Journey to Eloheh is a fantastic book that reads quickly while provoking new possibilities and contesting Western conventions. I love a good story, and the book pulled me in quickly, only to unfold into a well-formed exposition of encouragement and challenge layout indigenous values we should all aspire toward. I read it voraciously, connecting with the text, and then wanted to share it with friends. Randy and Edith Woodly are North Stars in a world that often feels unstable. Their invitation to explore and embrace Indigenous values has proved to be a lifeline I am so thankful to have discovered.
- Nate Allen
Therapist, Songwriter, and Author.
- Nate Allen
Therapist, Songwriter, and Author.
December 12, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Broadleaf Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Woodleys discussed the ten values, shared by many Indigenous peoples, they feel would help people create a balanced, sustainable life, away from the settler mindset. I felt like the format was not as effective in presenting the message. The first half was more memoir, while the last half were some anecdotes mixed with the principles. There are other books that have done this better.
The Woodleys discussed the ten values, shared by many Indigenous peoples, they feel would help people create a balanced, sustainable life, away from the settler mindset. I felt like the format was not as effective in presenting the message. The first half was more memoir, while the last half were some anecdotes mixed with the principles. There are other books that have done this better.
January 2, 2025
Explores Indigenous cultural values. The author offers an alternative to Western worldviews, which are at odds with a sustainable Earth and personal well-being. Eloheh (ay-luh-HAY) is a Cherokee word describing a state of being when all is as it should be or as it was created to be. Emphasis on harmony, peace, balance, and abundance as opposed to individual success, career advancement, and wealth building. Beautiful and hopeful.
February 11, 2025
This is an extraordinary book. Very thought provoking. It touches on so many things. Indigenous values as well as Christian thought. It really made me rethink about so much. I have to say also that the book just feels really wonderful. I find myself picking it up and just browsing for something to meditate on. It is very challenging. I hope many people will read it and find a way to be better in the world. It is a slim volume, but it really packs a punch!
October 8, 2024
The Woodleys have written a real great story of their own way into the practice of a wholesome, just way of well-being learned from their own indigenous cultures and ancestors. They open up their story, values, and practice to invite the rest of us to learn from them and get more free and more just together!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews